Lindpaintner, Peter Joseph von

1791-1856

Conductor and composer; born at Coblentz. His father was a tenor singer in the service of the Elector of Treves and removed with him to Augsburg when the French took possession of the electorate. It was there that young Lindpaintner studied violin, piano and counterpoint. The Elector became interested in him and provided him with the means to study under the famous composer, Winter, at Munich. Here he wrote his first opera, Demophoon; a mass, and a Te Deum, which were successfully produced in 1811. His kind patron died the next year and he was obliged to accept the position of music-director of the Isarthor Theatre. At the same time he continued his studies under the celebrated contrapuntist, Joseph Gratz. His compositions had been very successful, and in 1819 he was appointed chapelmaster for the Royal band at Stuttgart, which post he held until his death. He brought this orchestra up to such a standard of excellence that it ranked among the best in Germany. Mendelssohn said he played upon it, with his baton, as if it had been a single instrument. He had many offers for professional engagements, but only accepted one. This was three years before his death, when he went to England to conduct the New Philharmonic concerts in London. He also conducted these concerts the next year. Previous to this time, in 1848, he had received a medal from Queen Victoria for the dedication of his oratorio, Abraham. He received many gifts from royalty, and he was a member of almost every musical institution of the Continent.  He composed twenty-eight operas, three ballets, five melodramas and oratorios, several cantatas, six masses, a Stabat Mater, and more than fifty songs with piano accompaniment, besides symphonies, overtures, concertos, fantasias, trios and quartets for different instruments. He rescored Handel's Judas Maccabaeus. His operas were mostly of the Romantic School, the best being The Vampyre, The Mountain King, and The Sicilian Vespers. Equally worthy of mention is his overture and incidental music to Goethe's Faust, and among his songs, Roland and The Standardbearer created quite a furore at their appearance. He died at Nonnenhorn, on Lake Constance, while away for a summer's holiday.